SR0009 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0009 LRB103 25101 LAW 51436 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to thank Senator Antonio "Tony" Muñoz for his 23 years of service to the 1st Senate District as a member of the Illinois General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Muñoz grew up in the Pilsen and Little Village communities of Chicago, where, at an early age, he developed a passion for bettering the lives of his family members and others; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Muñoz trained at the U.S. Army Airborne School, where he learned the importance of motivation and dedication, and served in the U.S. Army with the 82nd Airborne Division; and

WHEREAS, During his tenure in the General Assembly, Sen. Muñoz prioritized practical legislation rather than political agendas, making him well known as a senator who could work with members on both sides of the aisle; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Muñoz sponsored nearly 2,000 bills, with more than 800 being signed into law; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Muñoz passed laws to ensure military service members have rights, protections, opportunities when returning to civilian life, and sufficient resources for their mental and physical health; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Muñoz, while working as a Chicago police officer and seeing firsthand that crime and gang activity were tearing apart his community, focused on keeping children in schools and off the streets by working to procure funding for after-school programs, making it a crime for street gangs to recruit on school grounds, and making it illegal for a sex offender to live within 500 feet of a school, park, daycare, or child facility; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Muñoz concentrated on aiding law enforcement officials, creating the Law Enforcement Officer Bulletproof Vest Act that sets standards for bulletproof vests worn by officers to ensure protection and safety; he also fought to protect first responders by spearheading a number of measures that tightened Scott's Law to protect first responders on the side of the road; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Muñoz has been a strong supporter of law enforcement officials and their families, expanding the use of Police Memorial grant dollars to include scholarships for spouses of fallen police officers; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Muñoz has long been an advocate for extending state procurement opportunities to minorities, women, veterans, and people with disabilities by voting to increase the minimum wage numerous times and supporting the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Muñoz co-founded the Latino Caucus, which consists of members in the Illinois Senate and the Illinois House of Representatives working to develop and pass legislation that has a positive impact on the lives of the more than two million Latinos living in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Muñoz co-sponsored and supported historic legislation, overhauling the State's education funding formula to provide fair funding for all schools, and he was the lead sponsor for the initiative to give in-state tuition to all students residing in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Muñoz worked to give job applicants greater opportunities, sponsoring a notable measure that requires an employer or employment agency to wait until an applicant has been selected for an interview or until after a conditional job offer has been extended before inquiring about, considering, or requiring disclosure of criminal history; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Muñoz served as the Senate Assistant Majority Leader since 2009 and chaired the Licensed Activities, Transportation, Executive Appointments, and Veterans Affairs Committees; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Muñoz received numerous awards of appreciation and for leadership, including Legislator of the Year, for his dedication and hard work to the 1st Senate District and the State; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Muñoz decided to resign from the Illinois Senate after 23 years of service to the 1st Senate District and the people of Illinois, during which he established himself as a knowledgeable, pragmatic, and committed public servant; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Muñoz's future plans include supporting causes about which he is passionate and spending more time with his family; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we thank Senator Antonio "Tony" Muñoz for his dedicated service to the people of Illinois and for his significant contributions to the State, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Sen. Muñoz as an expression of our esteem and respect.